This factor is crucial for understanding how the waves will break and can make the difference between an amazing session or a frustrating day in the water. In this article, we explain what the wave period is, how it's generated, how to read it correctly, and how it influences your surfing.
The wave period is the time in seconds that passes between one wave and the next within the same swell. It is measured from the crest of one wave to the crest of the next and usually ranges between 5 and 20 seconds.
Types of periods:
Short periods (5-8 seconds) → Weak, messy waves with little power.
Medium periods (9-12 seconds) → More organized waves, ideal for most spots.
Long periods (13-20+ seconds) → More powerful, fast, and organized waves.
Practical example: A 2m swell with a 15s period will be much more powerful, bigger, and more organized than the same 2m swell with a 7s period.
🔴 Common mistake: Don’t just focus on the height of the swell. The period directly influences the quality and power of the waves.
Waves in the ocean are formed when the wind blows over the water's surface. Depending on their origin, they can be:
Local wind waves: Generated by nearby storms with a short period (less than 8 seconds), creating disorganized and weak waves.
Ground swell: Formed by storms in the open ocean, thousands of kilometers from the coast. These have a long period (more than 10 seconds) and produce large, clean, and powerful waves.
As waves travel across the ocean, those with a long period move faster and arrive with more energy, while those with a short period dissipate sooner.
On platforms like Surforecast, Surfline, or Windguru, you will find data on swell, period, swell direction, and wind.
📌 Example of a surf report:
Swell height: 1.5 meters
Period: 14 seconds
Swell direction: Northwest
Wind: Light from the east
✅ Interpretation: With a 14-second period, the waves will be more powerful and organized.
If the swell direction is suitable, the waves will have a good shape.
With offshore wind (blowing from land to sea), the waves will be cleaner.
The wave period directly affects the power, speed, and size of the swell.
Here’s how:
1. Wave size: The longer the period, the more the waves will increase in size when they reach the shore.
Example: A 1-meter wave with a 6-second period will break small, while a 1-meter wave with a 15-second period can reach 1.5-2 meters on the right seafloor.
2. Power and speed:
Short periods (5-8 seconds): Weak and slow waves, ideal for beginners.
Medium periods (9-12 seconds): Well-shaped waves with moderate power.
Long periods (13-20+ seconds): Fast waves that are harder to paddle into.
3. Frequency between waves: With short periods, waves break close together with little time to recover. With long periods, sets take longer to arrive but are larger and more defined.
4. Choosing the right spot:
Short periods: Best for beach breaks where the sand shapes the waves.
Long periods: Ideal for reef and point breaks, where waves gain size.
5. Recommended equipment: If the period is long and the waves are more powerful:
✅ Use a board with more volume to paddle more easily.
✅ Larger fins for better grip on fast waves.
The wave period is an essential factor in predicting surf quality. It's not enough to just look at swell height; you need to check the period to understand what kind of waves you'll find in the water.
✅ Key points:
Short periods = weak and choppy waves.
Long periods = bigger, more powerful, and well-formed waves.
A long period means the swell will bring more power and speed.
Learning to read surf reports will help you choose the best spot and time to surf.
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